


Edge of the World

by mattiebluebird (ScarlettBond)



Category: Rim of the World (2019)
Genre: (eventually) - Freeform, Alex is bi and genderfluid (genderfaun to be exact), Anxiety Attacks, Aromantic, Aromantic Character, Autistic Character, BAMF!Gabriel, BAMF!Zhenzhen, Bisexual Character, Dariush is demi-biromantic bisexual, Demiromantic Character, Flashbacks, Found Family, Friendship, Gabriel has dyscalculia, Gabriel is bi (I forgot to put this tag with the other hc's), Genderfluid Character, He's also autistic, Hey guys check out how hard I can headcanon:, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Multi, Nonbinary Character, OT4, Panic Attacks, Past Child Abuse, Pining, Polyamorous Character, Polyamorous relationship, Post-Canon, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, So slow you won't even notice anything's burning until you smell the smoke, Trans Character, Trans Female Character, Unrequited love becomes requited, Zhenzhen has selective mutism, Zhenzhen is a straight trans woman, god i love them, like the slowest of burns, slowburn, so remember how that alien puts its "dick" in Dariush's mouth? That had side effects
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-26
Updated: 2020-05-26
Packaged: 2021-03-02 23:09:01
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,390
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24384841
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ScarlettBond/pseuds/mattiebluebird
Summary: The aliens came back, of course.
Relationships: Alex/Dariush/Gabriel/Zhenzhen, Alex/Gabriel, Alex/Zhenzhen, Dariush/Alex and/or Dariush/Zhenzhen might happen but I haven't decided yet, Dariush/Gabriel, no Gabriel/Zhenzhen
Comments: 4
Kudos: 33





	Edge of the World

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Title is from "Everybody Wants to Rule the World" by Lorde.

"Did you get the picture?" Zhenzhen asked.

"Yeah, I got it," Dariush said. Zhenzhen had copied their "Rim of the World" photo and sent one to each of them. "But I don't know what the writing on the back means," he admitted. On the back a character was written in what he assumed was Chinese.

" _Jiātíng_ ," Zhenzhen said. "It means family in Mandarin."

"Dariush!"

He jumped, looking up from the photo. His stepmom was in the doorway, suitcase in one hand. "Hurry up, we're about to leave."

"Gotta go, Zhen," he said apologetically. "I'll call you later."

"Don't call me Zhe-" Her protests were cut off when he hung up abruptly. He grabbed his three suitcases -a prince must travel in style, right?- and ran downstairs.

Saving the world didn't exactly come with a paycheck, but between donations from millions of adoring fans and rewards from nearly every world leader, Dariush's family was wealthier now they'd ever been. They'd kept the mansion, the limo, the butler- everything ( _except his dad_ , he thought bitterly).

His stepmom was standing by the limo, with Jacobi (who had miraculously survived the invasion and refused to discuss how) waiting by the trunk to take his bags.

"Here, Ja-" Dariush paused, pressing his lips into a thin line. He had no problem with letting his butler do things for him -that's what they paid him for, wasn't it?- but Gabriel always glared up a storm when he did, and Dariush didn't need the phantom guilt trip. "Actually, I got it," he said, putting his bags into the trunk. 

If Jacobi was surprised, impressed, or cared at all, he didn't show it. His _stepmom_ , however, ruffled his hair and chuckled. "Guess my boy is growing up."

Personally, Dariush thought he'd "grown up" when he saved the world, but he kept the thought to himself. When they got in the limo Dariush got out his phone and proceeded to log onto their friend group's personal discord server (called "The Fantastic Four" since that's what the media had taken to calling them).

 **Dariushthegreat** _Today at 9:30 AM_

ok we're on our way

 **AlexanderTheGreat** _Today at 9:30 AM_

Finally! Camp is so boring without you guys.

 **Dariushthegreat** _Today at 9:31 AM_

aw did you miss me Awex?

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 9:32 AM_

yeah alex did u miss us

 **AlexanderTheGreat** _Today at 9:32 AM_

Shut up.

 **Zhenzhen** _Today at 9:33 AM_

how long until you get here?

 **Dariushthegreat** _Today at 9:33 AM_

a few hours :/

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 9:34 AM_

awww do u think youll survive a few hours in ur thousand dollar limo

 **Dariushthegreat** _Today at 9:35 AM_

A) You have just as much money as the rest of us so shut up, B) it's a HUNDRED THOUSAND dollars you peasant

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 9:35 AM_

so sorry, your highness

 **Dariushthegreat** _Today at 9:35 AM_

Damn straight I am.

Or. Well.

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 9:36 AM_

Damn aro?

 **AlexanderTheGreat** _Today at 9:36 AM_

Damn bi?

 **Dariushthegreat** _Today at 9:37 AM_

Yeah, that works

 **Zhenzhen** _Today at 9:45 AM_

@Dariushthegreat

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 9:45 AM_

dariush

 **AlexanderTheGreat** _Today at 9:46 AM_

Did he leave?

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 9:46 AM_

spam him

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 9:47 AM_

@Dariushthegreat

@Dariushthegreat

@Dariushthegreat

@Dariushthegreat

@Dariushthegreat

@Dariushthegreat

@Dariushthegreat

@Dariushthegreat

@Dariushthegreat

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 9:48 AM_

@Dariushthegreat y are you ignoring us

 **Zhenzhen** _Today at 9:50 AM_

DARIUSH

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 9:51 AM_

DARIUSH

Dariussssshhhhh

 **AlexanderTheGreat** _Today at 9:51 AM_

@Dariushthegreat

 **Zhenzhen** _Today at 9:54 AM_

he's probably just busy leave him alone

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 10:07 AM_

he's not answering my texts

 **AlexanderTheGreat** _Today at 10:14 AM_

Neither are his parents.

 **gabethebabe** _Today at 10:17 AM_

shit

 **AlexanderTheGreat** _Today at 10:50 AM_

check the news

 **Zhenzhen** _Today at 11:07 AM_

oh my god

* * *

"He's recovering remarkably quickly," Dr. Fretwell assured her. "He managed to avoid any broken bones or major head trauma. It's the fever we're worried about."

"Fever?" Alex asked, voice high with worry.

Dr. Fretwell nodded. "He must've been sick when the accident happened. Nothing too serious, but if he's not careful it could cause problems."

Alex and Zhenzhen both frowned at that, thinking that Dariush would've told them if he felt sick -god knew he loved to complain- but they didn't contradict the doctor.

Dr. Fretwell stopped in front of Dariush's door. "I'll give you three a moment alone. I'm right next door if you need me," she said kindly, opening the door for them. Alex muttered a thanks while Zhenzhen just nodded.

The second the door closed behind them, Alex rushed to Dariush's side. "Hey," he said somewhat awkwardly, fidgeting with the bouquet in his hands. "I got you flowers. I know that's, like, a thing you do for girls and you already have hundreds, but a store bought card seemed kind of insincere and I didn't have time to make one, and I know red and black are your favorite colors and these smell nice, so yeah. Here you go." He set the bouquet of red and black flowers on the nightstand beside Dariush's bed.

"It's good to see you, Dariush," Zhenzhen said, smiling minutely. "I'm glad you're okay."

"It's good to see you too, guys," Dariush said, holding out his hand for a high five. He looked exhausted, but he still smiled at them.

They both high fived him, then Alex wrinkled his nose. "Ugh, they weren't kidding about that fever," he wiped his hand on his jacket, "Your hands are all sweaty."

"Sorry, I'll try to suffer less disgustingly," Dariush said.

"Nonono, I didn't mean- oh, you're joking."

Dariush rolled his eyes.

"Where's Gabriel?" Zhenzhen asked, sitting in the chair closest to the bed. "He told us he got here an hour ago."

"He was. He left to get snacks from the vending machine. You wouldn't _believe_ how bad hospital food is," Dariush complained, sounding more like himself. "I feel like if I don't get some sugar and caffeine I'll _die_."

He was clearly just being dramatic, but Alex frowned and brought out his fidget cube. "Really? That could be a symptom of low blood sugar. Have they taken a blood test yet?"

"Uh, I think? They said my body needed lots of fuel to recover, so it's probably just that. I'm _fine_ , Alex," he added, seeing how anxious he looked. "If I could survive getting slashed by an alien _and_ save the world, I think I can survive a cold in a hospital with dozens of doctors." Then he broke out into a horrible, hacking cough. Alex did not look assured.

The door opened. "Okay, I got like twelve Twix bars, some chips, an-" Gabriel stopped when he saw Alex and Zhenzhen, face breaking out into a wide smile. He dropped the various snacks in a chair and swept them both up in a hug, laughing and lifting them off the ground.

"I missed you guys!" He said, setting them down and ruffling their hair for good measure. While he'd pretty much stayed the same height, Zhenzhen had shot up nearly four inches in the last year and Alex was barely a quarter inch behind.

"You saw us just a few weeks ago," Zhenzhen pointed out, reaching for some of the snacks he'd abandoned.

"I know, but still," he said, grabbing a few chocolate bars and a bag of chips and handing them to Dariush, who almost forgot to take off the wrapping in his feeding frenzy. He frowned at Zhenzhen. "Hey, you stole my seat!"

Zhenzhen shrugged. "Move your feet, lose your seat," she said simply.

Gabriel scowled and pulled up another chair. Alex stayed standing, though he set down his fidget cube to take the Snickers Gabriel offered him.

They stayed there, laughing and talking, until Dariush began nodding off and Dr. Fretwell told them they had to leave. No amount of arguing would change her mind, so they each gave Dariush's hand a squeeze (he was either asleep or too out of it to react) and left.

Alex grimaced at his hand, which was once again covered in sweat, and before he wiped it off he could've sworn there was a black smudge on his palm.


End file.
